Finding the Green within the Grey

Ten Days

It has been a week. Take right now. I should be working, but my brain is fuzzy from lack of sleep. And I am rather focused on checking on Annie, who is down with the stomach flu. She is the third casualty, and, the flu started with me over a week ago. It has been a week and a half of craziness.

When I was suffering from the death virus, I was sick enough to call my parents for sympathy and tell them how much I love them. Then I jokingly created a verbal will with my mom. This illness felt like childbirth without the child reward. I survived, though.

Then, less than a week ago, the Alton’s contracted one of my worst fears. Remember the thing I was not going to worry about, the dreaded four-letter L word? Yup, we all came down with lice. The good news: I avoided excessive worrying about it until I found the third bug on one of my children’s head. The bad news: I broke into sobs throughout the day as I combed hair and cleaned house. Seriously would not wish these bugs on my worst enemy.

If you ever should happen to experience lice, though, think this thought: the first 24 hours are the worst. Then every day gets easier, although you have 21 days of nit combing ahead of you. Nevertheless, you also have countless jokes and serious heartache to share with anyone who has ever fallen prey to head bug disease. You can even talk about World War II nit-picking trench games with your husband.

Since we have already lived through lice once before, we feel like professionals. I kept enjoying life despite the gross bugs. When I came home from a night out Tuesday, I even chuckled as I realized KK had the flu. Of course it was figuratively pouring out at our house. When I awoke at 2am last night to another sick child, I did not laugh, but I certainly did not cry. If Annie were not so sick, this would be fodder for a comedy sketch.

Despite all the trauma of the past ten or so days, we have had much fun, too. Although it is now July 1st and it has been in the 50s and 60s for most of the last month, all is not doom and gloom. When KK’s tennis camp was canceled yesterday, we went to the library, made banana bread, and homemade clay. KK and Annie played with Playdo and took pictures of toys. They also pinched each other and yelled, but still, life handed out lots of good moments. We all walked up to the Greenwood Car Show on Saturday. I rode my bike for the first time in 9 years that night. Chris grilled up a lovely meal on Wednesday. The house is mostly spotless. I have had a break from work. My washing machine is still working. Chris is fishing right now, and a friend took KK to all of her activities today. As I told KK yesterday, when life gives you lice, make lemonade. We bought lemonade twice this week at the grocery store. It tastes divine.

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Nancy Schatz Alton

I used to ride the playground ponies — painted metal creature swings behind my childhood home — and dream of a book with my name on it: Nancy Schatz. Years later, I walked that same playground and young girl asked me my age. Maybe I was 19. Shocked, she asked if I was married. Nope, not yet, I laughed in reply.

Now I’m married and my body’s pretty close to being 50 years old. My first dream came true with one minor adjustment. The name on the cover of those books is “Nancy Schatz Alton.” I think it took writing these two holistic healthcare guides — The Healthy Back Book and The Healthy Knees Book — to believe I really am a writer. But I’ve been a writer before I could pencil the alphabet on the itchy lined paper in Kindergarten. It’s just who I am.

I wear many other definitions. I’m lucky enough to be a mom to a teenager and a tween. I’m a freelance writer, editor and writing teacher and coach, too. I’m a baker and a short-order cook, an off-key singer and car dancer. I’m a former long distance runner, an avid reader and a lover of color. I’m also a spy, because writers are spies, right?

This blog was born a few years ago when I finally got tired of denying myself the privilege of having a blog. I love sharing my words, and if these thoughts can help someone else, even better. As this blog has evolved, some of what I have written is part of a memoir manuscript entitled “But Still and Yet: Navigating the Learning Differences World with My Daughter.” That’s the tale of being and becoming a mother. No, it’s not the story of my first child’s birth and how I stepped into this new role, although there are many fine books about this very topic. This memoir is about learning to embrace the idea that life doesn’t always get to be easy for our offspring. If you aren’t a parent, the journey I take is the same journey all humans take during this lifetime. This memoir answers this question: how do we crack ourselves open to become our best possible selves?

Boom. Enjoy my blog. Say hello via a comment if you have can. And Welcome to Within The Words, Finding the Green within the Grey,.

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